Unforeseen and Unforsaken
by Raven's secret-keeper
Summary: When a sick and starving girl shows up at Titans Tower, desperate and terrified and with powers that leave her with nowhere else to go, the Titans warily decide to take her in and help her gain control. She has little control over her powers, that's nothing new - but somehow this eternally-frantic telepath manages to surprise them at every turn. - Unforeseen Surprises, rewritten.
1. Prologue, and Author's Explication

_**Author's Note:**__ The events in this story were originally published under the title of "Unforeseen Surprises." Somehow the stories between Raven and this new character Dove have managed to capture more peoples' hearts than I ever hoped for. But after nearly six years of writing, editing, roleplaying, and getting to know every character involved, I found myself so dissatisfied with the works I had once been so proud of. The style, the vagueness, the characterization flaws - at first I thought changing a word or minor detail here and there would fix it all. And then the rewrite took on such a life of its own, I couldn't do anything but publish it as an entirely new story. The interactions go deeper, the characterization is crisp, and I've taken scene descriptions to a whole new level. If "Unforeseen Surprises" was the rough draft, this renamed story is the final version I can be proud of. Whether you've read my Raven and Dove stories before or you're new to my fan-fictional archive, I hope these years of evolution show through and I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I loved writing it._

_Read and Review,  
~ Raven's secret-keeper_

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**Prologue**

The white-clad girl heaved herself out of the river and collapsed on the sand, coughing, gasping; shaking with weakness and shivering violently with the chills. The air here wasn't that cold - but she was used to a much warmer climate, a world with two suns and reflective metal everywhere… and the water was _freezing_. She had tried levitating across the river - she should have known better… Besides having pathetically meager strength with it already, her health and energy had been drained from lack of food and rest. And she had never learned to swim. But she thought it would be faster, and she couldn't find any other way across. This island was private, everyone told her; she wasn't _supposed_ to find a way. It was a miracle she hadn't drowned. She still didn't know how her powers held together long enough to plunge her down where the current was weaker, where the water was shallow enough to stand up in, and then claw her way to safety.

The fact that she had finally reached her destination came without a flicker of triumph. Cold, helpless, lost, and homesick, she certainly didn't feel like a triumphant hero…

Now she sat on her knees, still sputtering river-water as she did her best to wring her waterlogged cloak and dress and dry her hair. Her hands quivered unsteadily the whole time - she wasn't strong enough to panic for long, and the adrenaline ran out already… but somehow she managed to force herself to her feet. She wavered. A handful of steps, reached the doorway -

She was thanking Azar for every breath but her relief suddenly turned cold when she heard the alarms blaring inside.

_Intruder…?_

Oh, no… She hadn't even spoken to them and already she was seen as a threat. That didn't bode well, it was nerve-wracking; the girl pulled her cloak closer around herself - wet silk wasn't very comforting, but it was better than standing there and feeling exposed; it was a gesture of insecurity. She couldn't help it. Or how tightly she held her breath as she faced the tall, daunting, utterly iconic building, watching the door anxiously as she waited for the inevitable reception… and praying her visions hadn't led her astray.


	2. Stranger at the Door

_**Author's Note: **__Because I edit like a madwoman and it would take so long to post chapters in modern-RSK-sized chunks - ten to twenty pages long - I'm keeping these updates divided at the same points as the original story. That way I can update more quickly._

_Read and Review,  
Raven's secret-keeper_

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_**Chapter 1: Stranger at the Door**_

California.

Jump City.

Titans Tower.

It was around noon. The sky outside the crime ops window was darkening with clouds that would signal rain later that day - but for now, despite the ten-story building seeming tall enough to touch the sky, none of the four Teen Titans behind its glass noticed the storm brewing outside. Everyone was too busy. The room was filled with leisure activity and life - only Raven was absent; she opted to meditate in the quiet of her own room as Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, and especially Beast Boy played the part of normal gaming teenagers so well, you'd never know the difference.

"Aw man, aw man, just a little more, _come on - ! NO!"_

"WHOO-HOO!"

"Way to go, Beast Boy!"

Excited and unhindered laughter filled the room. "Yes, I see my leading of the cheers for you was quite successful!"

"Ow! _Hey,_ Star, watch where you're cheerin' those things."

"Oh. My apologies. Perhaps a rematch would make up for my -?"

BEEP-BEEP-BEEP, and suddenly alarms blared and the red lights flared, with the crime scanner screen declaring in tandem: "SECURITY ALERT"

Robin rushed to the control panel (while Beast Boy groaned "Aww, just when it was getting good!"), and a few keystrokes later Cyborg elaborated: "We've got company."

"_Intruder detected at ground-level entryway"_ echoed through the halls as the entire team watched the live video feed and took stock of the situation...

"This 'intruder' does not appear hostile," the Tamaranian noted.

Robin wasn't convinced. "I'm running facial recognition and starting a background check now. Beast Boy, keep an eye on the security footage. Cyborg, initiate alpha-level protocol. We don't want to take any chances. And Starfire - ?"

"I shall investigate!" she called eagerly before she sped downstairs to do so.

And she opened the door to a figure resembling Raven.

But she was smaller, younger... and thinner - unhealthily so. And she wasn't as clean as she could've been; her hair was cropped to just above her chin, blond, with shoulder-length bangs extending past the reach of most of her hair, and it was all slightly tangled. Her clothes didn't look much better. Most of it was covered by a hooded cloak held tightly around her (now _that_ was a familiar sight), but her legs and forearms revealed an unusual dress, white and tattered and it seemed a size too big on her. Maybe it was custom-tailored; at least the sleeve-length fit perfectly. She literally looked half starved to death.

But her dark blue eyes were vibrant and alive, so expressive - and so wide with hope and fear. Especially after Starfire gasped.

The two looked at each other for a while before the stranger asked nervously, "Is this Titans Tower?" Her voice was pretty raspy, as if she wasn't used to using it, and sounded like it could have been any other frightened stranger's voice besides that.

"Yes. How is it I may help you?"

"Uhhhhhhm..."

Another silence stretched between them.

"I... need to ask - talk to - "

She froze when Robin entered the lobby. "Starfire, who is it? You've been-" He stopped. He had seen the girl. And there was so much familiarity here that her clothes had hidden from the cameras.

"I am not certain. Please, do come in. You look as if you have been attacked by the kuldrons of Thar!" Starfire closed the door after the guest had stepped in hesitantly and all three went to the main room; the stranger trailed the Titans with steps silent as a ghost, like she didn't even want to disturb the _sounds_ here.

When they reached the operations room, everyone turned her way. And she flinched, recoiling under the attention. "Um... H...Hello...?" the newcomer said uncertainly.

"Tell me you guys are seeing it," Cyborg noted.

"Uh... Hi," Beast Boy greeted, and all of them were wondering the same thing... Why did this person resemble Raven so _closely?_ Was it a coincidence?

Robin almost asked. Except...

Raven had roused herself from meditating; she had sensed pain, fear - and then her meditation was thoroughly shot through by the alarms. She entered, and she halted the moment she saw the unfamiliar girl.

Their eyes met. Raven's narrowed; the other's widened.

The instant she saw her Raven felt a flicker of violent intuition - her senses livened with something that felt completely off - But before she could investigate, the feeling vanished - there was another energy, submerging. …But empathy told her this girl was weak, sick… Warily, her suspicion was overruled by concern. This girl didn't want to hurt them, she could feel that much - conversely, scanning her senses told her this girl was _terrified_. Desperate, even - which could make her dangerous…

Better to play it safe.

"Who are you?" Raven asked, subtle threat and suspicion heavy in her voice.

"D – D – M-my name is – is D-D-D-_Dove." _Raven's gaze was sharp and intense as blade thrusts, and Dove stumbled back a step under its pressure. She stood rigid, startled by and now afraid of Raven's piercing tone. Whatever she expected, it wasn't _that_ - not from _Raven..._

"Where did you come from and why did you come here?"

This was strange to the others - usually Robin was the one pressing houseguests for information.

"A-Azarath. Because..." She glanced away and swallowed. "It was... destroyed, by... something terrible..."

Despite the dark news, Starfire seemed elated and gave a small gasp. "Oh, that is where Raven was raised! Perhaps you have met one another?"

But Raven's first thought was doubt and disbelief. "Azarath?" _I think I would remember if I saw someone so much like me back there._

The other had cringed at Starfire's excitement - but she forced herself to look up at Raven and bit her lip. "Uh-huh."

"But why did you come _here?"_ Raven's tone was more suspicious than sharp. Slowly it was losing its edge - gaining confusion...

"Uh... This will sound crazy..."

"We've dealt with crazy," Robin told her. "Many times."

A sigh, and her head lowered, and suddenly she was speaking more than three words per breath - as if this was the one and only thing she was certain of. "I had a - a vision... not long before Azarath was to be destroyed. Of Azarath burning. Then... four red eyes in a crimson sky and deep, horrible laughter. It felt like I was being burned alive and it scared me so much..." She seemed deeply pained at the memory. "And then I saw Earth and this Titans Tower. It only took me a moment to realize that if I didn't come here, I would..." She paused abruptly - hesitated. Then picked up warily. "..._die..._ and it just doesn't seem right to die, just because..."

Raven couldn't suppress the memories of what it was like to see Azarath, the place of her birth, her first-ever home, the source of the prophecy she'd nearly lived her life by, destroyed before her eyes. And the way she felt about it. Fear, horror, hatred... and the immeasurable loss...

They almost conversed as she fought down the images. "You look like you haven't slept or eaten in a while," Robin observed -

"Azarath was destroyed nearly a year ago," Raven suddenly cut in. "Have you been here since then?"

"Did it really take you that long to find this place?"

Dove nodded - then winced and moaned meekly. It was strained, like she was trying to hold it back - and failing miserably.

"Dude, are you okay?" Beast Boy asked, noticing just how weak and ill she looked. In that moment it was hard not to.

"I'll be fine, just... weak from lack of food, and rest... and - um. I was wondering if it would be okay if I stayed here," she rushed out - the dizziness was back and she needed to ask them before she blacked out. "No one else can accept me, and I need a home. I can't go on living like this much longer!" Her words were pleading, strained, like she was trying so hard not to cry... "Please help me, _please,"_ she begged, now sounding desperate as her voice became softer and finally gave way to tears.

Always the analyst, Robin asked, "Why won't other people accept you?"

"Because I... my..." But before Dove could finish, what looked like white electricity encased one of the fluorescent lights and Dove ducked, with the lights exploding at her back.

"That," she croaked, and stood up with her head bowed, tears flowing like a steady river.

The Titans took more than a moment to recover from the sudden sound, making sure nothing else was broken and all five friends were still standing. Only then did they gape at Dove through the storm-darkened half-light, half startled, half curious - except Raven, who said flatly, "You can't control your powers."

Dove shook her head and glanced at her apologetically, still keeping her head bowed as if the weight of shame wouldn't let her lift it.

Yet thoughts were racing through Raven's mind - _Can she really be from Azarath - ? That outfit isn't your average Azarathean wear - so similar to me, that cloak, those powers - and was it unleashed by emotion? When I get upset, I lose control - _

"Really?" Dove asked suddenly, and a spark of hope danced in her eyes. So this _was_ the right -

"'Really' what?" Beast Boy questioned.

"Oh no..." That spark faded as quickly as it came. "She just said 'when I get upset, I lose control'... didn't you... Raven...?" She bit her lip again.

_How do you know my name? _The thought came so suddenly it struck Raven with another pang of suspicion. But if Dove really had grown up in Azarath, somehow - (she still struggled to understand how she couldn't _know?_) - then of course Dove would know who she was. Who in Azarath didn't? "No, I _thought_ that," Raven replied finally.

The stranger sighed. "Not again," she mumbled, too quietly for any of the Titans to hear.

"Interesting," Robin mused.

"What?" Dove asked nervously. People here usually said that when they didn't want to offend you, but weren't thinking anything pleasant.

"It looks like you can read minds."

"Oh. Yeah. I... can't really control that either... uhh... So, can I please stay? Will you help me?" She thought, so heavy with hope, _Don't reject me, don't reject me, don't reject me..._

"Why would we?" Raven asked.

"Why _wouldn't_ we? Raven, is something wrong?" Robin asked.

"No." At least, not yet.

"Then why do you think she shouldn't stay?"

"I never said that."

"Then what did 'why would we' mean?"

"Why would we _reject_ her."

Beast Boy scratched his head as he tried to keep up (this was a lot to take in at once). "Hold on, where did rejection come in?"

Everyone else was obviously confused - Raven's expression echoed Robin's muted thought as she began to explain. "She just said - Wait. Her lips... Did anyone else hear her say 'don't reject me', three times?"

"Not even once," Cyborg said. "Okay, this is gettin' weird. First we get a Raven look-alike at the door, then mind-reading, and now what?"

"Telepathy," Robin answered after a moment. "She can... somehow talk with her mind..."

"So now we know the girl has powers - what are we gonna do with her?"

All five of the Titans knew what had happened last time they took in a homeless hero - they had been hurt, betrayed, and nearly lost their lives to her treachery. But ultimately they had lost a friend - and several layers of innocent trust.

But Dove seemed to need them so desperately... She had come to them specifically. And apparently this wasn't the first place she'd sought help. Maybe she really _did_ have nowhere else to go...

Dove watched as the Titans huddled up and began discussing the matter in hushed voices, and she wanted so anxiously to know their response... but she told herself not to eavesdrop, not to read their minds. Even that could make her lose control, anyways... She yawned, waited patiently, and almost fell asleep where she was - but then Robin called to her, "You can stay."


	3. The Healing Process

_**A/N:** Okay, so maybe I lied a little about where I'd be breaking these chapters. But where I broke this scene in Unforeseen Surprises just didn't make any sense… Read on, readers, and gracious reviewers, review. (And those who've never reviewed, please take the time to leave a word or two of your thoughts!)  
~Raven's secret-keeper_

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_**Chapter 2: The Healing Process**_

"You can stay."

Her eyes widened.

"On one condition," Cyborg added.

Nervous -

"You need to train with Raven," Robin elaborated.

"She can show you how to control your emotions and stuff..."

"...and thus control your powers as well."

Though they didn't say it, they also knew she could read people more deeply than even an ex-ward of the world's greatest detective's best observations. If Dove had ulterior motives, Raven would be the first to know.

Not that Dove noticed. "Really? I can _stay?"_ Her eyes lit up and a glowing smile added to her bright moment. It was stunned, it was hesitant, but it was the first truly elated expression she'd worn in a long, long time.

Then her eyes closed, and she moaned weakly. She yawned again, deeper this time, and began rubbing the side of her head; her eyes went from lightly closed to tight with her pain. And a tight and high-pitched whimper escaped her throat.

Robin asked if she was okay with his brow furrowed and tone almost maternal.

"I... think so... I just fell, that's all..."

As she spoke, Raven took a small step closer. "How far from?" Her expression hazarded the smallest, vaguest hint of concern.

"Well... uh... _ow!... _The sky, a few feet over a building in Jump City."

"And you lived‽" Beast Boy chimed in excitedly.

"Well, yeah. I fell on the building. But it still... hurt... a lot..." Dove winced and backed away from Raven, sensing something she didn't like.

That wasn't so unfamiliar, either. "Don't be afraid, this is just... an offer to heal you."

"Heal me...?" Dove wasn't sure what to make of it - she could feel, the _energies_ - rising, from Raven - but a bad experience with energies like that caused her to back up until she was against the wall. "How?"

"With my powers. Empathy." Then, as Dove ducked left to avoid her calmly-charged hands, she added drily, "It won't hurt."

"I'm not scared of the pain, but..." Dove lost her already frail voice to the fear rising within her.

This went a step beyond odd - maybe even a few steps beyond the craziness Dove had claimed. No one had ever resisted healing before (what was so wrong with her that she didn't want the pain gone?), and Raven had never volunteered so insistently to heal someone, and definitely never a complete stranger.

But somewhere deep down, Raven sensed that Dove wasn't as much of a stranger as they thought. Something weird was going on - that energy she glimpsed felt unnervingly familiar. Dove was from Azarath. Dove had powers unleashed by emotion. Dove had seen Azarath destroyed. And Dove knew how terrible Trigon was. Raven could sense it, all of it, when Dove told them her story; when she spoke, pain was in her voice. And yet, she fought so hard to keep it hidden...

Suddenly Raven was determined to learn more about this Dove character. "Don't worry, you'll be fine," she promised quietly, and - dare she admit it, reassuringly. The tone of cold and compassion, the voice of an empathic healer.

This shocked the Titans into yet another phase of disbelief. The ever-aloof Raven _never_ sounded like that!

Yet the white-cloaked girl watched Raven like a frightened bird, wide-eyed and shivering with fear. Then she huddled her arms to her chest and bowed her head with that shrill and quiet whimpering.

Raven asked, "What's wrong?" in a reluctant and subtly pleading tone that no one, not even herself, recognized. To be an empath, to share Dove's pain, and then not be allowed to heal it was torture.

"I - just - Don't, please..." Dove was too afraid to speak coherently - so instead she just slowly collapsed to the ground with her knees bent against her body, eyes tightly closed and chin tucked in what looked like a desperate attempt to melt into the wall.

Raven, hands no longer glowing, knelt down and leaned closer to level with the shivering girl. "Why not?" she muttered, sensing the terrified urgency in Dove's voice. There had to be a reason...

Dove opened her tightly closed eyes a bit and said, "Just... don't... _please..."_ And suddenly tears were rolling down her face as if her eyes had erupted with their own rain storm beneath her locked lids. She wanted to scream "stop it!" but couldn't, her throat was too choked. She was ever good at screaming, anyways.

"Dove, I can only help if you let me. You'll feel better - physically, and mentally..."

She hesitated; she could feel the other four Titans watching them intently, but tried to ignore it. Dove needed her attention more desperately right now.

_Why should I trust you?_ Dove wanted Raven to know that she wouldn't let her, so desperately wanted to, but she couldn't form a single word past her fear-strangled throat. All she could do was look up at Raven, blinking and trusting her tearful, traumatized eyes to convey the truth -

Suddenly they locked eye-contact - and chaos whirled into each girl's mental world - Different. Familiar. Blockade.

Dove felt a flash of something she'd never sensed - she let out a small gasp of surprise as her powers laid the telepathetic connection and sensations flooded into her, and before she could comprehend what was happening another bolt of white light screeched from her control and flipped over the couch, taking Beast Boy and Cyborg with it.

"NO - Nono, Azar, I'm sorry - " Dove cowered into a tighter ball than ever and began muttering helplessly - Then she stopped dead and whimpered, choked once and moaned.

The boys were okay - but Dove obviously wasn't. Robin prompted explanation for the hundredth time that day: "What's wrong?"

She tried to clear her throat and began coughing - gently, at first. Then she went into a coughing fit, struggling to breathe, with both hands to her mouth as if it could hold back her precious air.

"Whoa- "

"Hey- "

"Dude, are you okay?"

And despite the physical turmoil, Raven could sense - some kind of struggling - it was so hard to interpret, but whatever had Dove shivering and coughing uncontrollably was nonphysical.

"I'm gonna get her some water," Beast Boy announced.

"That's not all she needs," Raven noted quietly. Surprising the Titans beyond the horizons of their dreams, she inched so close to Dove that any closer would be touching, set her hands on her shoulder (and noticed her cloak was damp and cold; she doubted wet clothes would help her breathing problem). Voice calm, steady, and in control, she called for her attention: "Dove. Look at me. _Focus."_

Body rocking, gaze uneven, Dove somehow managed to hold her eyes open long enough to meet Raven's eyes -

"You need to calm down. Control your breaths. I don't know what's happening here, but panicking isn't going to help."

She felt Dove's shoulders tense beneath her fingers. Fear riled her soul. And Dove only shook her head and continued to cough her throat raw.

So she had no choice...

"What are you doing?"

Raven didn't turn to him, but she answered Robin's question as the shadow of power and the essence of her soul engulfed Raven's body, her eyes lit to life, and she guided the aura across their physical connection and took Dove's mind in the hand of her astral power.

"She's excited, afraid. Her powers want out. And however she's holding that energy back is suffocating her." Something in Dove resisted - but Raven pushed through it smoothly and refused to allow this weak and wayward energy to interrupt the process. "She obviously can't calm herself down... and I'm helping."

And, mystery of mysteries, whatever Raven was doing took effect the moment she voiced it. Slowly, gradually, Dove's chill seizures came to an end.

The whole spectacle was so intriguing Beast Boy forgot about the water in his hands.

Starfire reminded him to give Raven the glass, and Dove took it and eventually managed to hold her breath long enough to drink. After a few seconds, the coughing eased, tapered away, and soon it had stopped completely. Though she was still shivering...

Raven released her mind's hold carefully.

And Dove gasped, gulping for breath - she let herself lean weakly against Raven's body, leaving the empath torn between pushing her away and maintaining physical contact until her senses confirmed Dove was okay... and with Raven's body heat warming her chilled and less-than-insulated body, gradually the shivering stopped, too. When the convulsive quivering had stopped altogether, Dove lifted her head and whispered, barely audible and raspy, "Thanks…"

…but she barely got it out before she moaned softly and fainted in Raven's arms.

* * *

Dove woke up in a dark room on a spacious bed; barely even conscious, she felt warm and relaxed for the first time in almost two years. Calm. Placid.

…And curious. She opened her eyes… and the first thing to meet them was a window - they widened - the curtains were only half drawn; it was so big, and she'd never been near an open window… It was so enthralling to be able to see the world beyond, feeling more apart of it than she had ever been allowed. Outside, the sky was still overcast by those dark heavy clouds; a flock of seagulls pierced the expanse to take shelter at the harbor, and those birds reminded her of - of…

"SIEARA!" Dove yelped, and sat up so suddenly her back crackled. "Oh no..."

"'Sieara'? That sounds... Azarathean."

Dove gasped and turned sharply. The voice was Raven's; Dove hadn't seen her standing there.

"Yeah." A sigh. "It is," she breathed, trying to recover from the shock.

"Who's Sieara?"

"She was... my companion..." Still breathless.

"You brought someone else out of Azarath?"

"No, she's a dove." Finally, a full sentence without breathing too hard...

Raven still looked doubtful. …or just unimpressed, it was hard to tell.

So Dove elaborated, and fondly. "Sieara was my best friend since... as long as I can remember. She's never been separated from me for any longer than a few minutes before, and if she ever flew off, it was just to find food -"

She suddenly froze and broke off - wind was howling at the window…

What Raven sensed was barely half the discomfort that had crowded Dove's mind when she first stumbled through their doors. "Are you alright?" she asked, only slightly concerned.

"Yeah," Dove replied, only half convincingly.

Then thunder galloped through the sky on the heels of its brother lightning, and Dove screamed shortly (but so loudly Raven flinched) and huddled against the empath, whimpering and shaking with onset fear.

Raven wasn't sure how to react to this; it was all she could do to tense and hold Dove back. "What's wrong?"

"I-I don't kn-kn-know," Dove replied with pure honesty.

"Take a breath - "

There was a knock on the door, Dove stiffened, and Raven tossed her a glance of pity before she got up to answer it.

It was Robin. "Are you two okay?"

"We're fine."

"Who screamed?"

Quick of him to notice. "Dove. I think it was the thunder. But she should be okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

Neither mentioned it, but both knew instinctively that she'd tell the team if anything happened. Robin nodded. "Good to see you awake, Dove."

She nodded mechanically, eyes locked on the window.

"I guess now's not a good time for the grand tour."

Raven shook her head.

"Talk to you later, then?"

"I'll keep you posted."

She shut the door and sat down next to the nervous newcomer.

"It's... It's just thunder, there's nothing to be afraid of. It's a _sound."_

"I know," Dove whimpered back, "and that it's just clouds colliding, but I can't help... being terrified..." She moaned and pressed herself closer to Raven as another but smaller clap was heard.

The older empath tensed yet again, and, remembering that Dove had lost control after growing too anxious before, reminded her to calm down.

"I've been trying since... since - I don't know, but I've already _been_ trying to calm down."

"You don't have to get defensive. And you won't be in trouble if something unexpected happens. Trust me, we're used to it."

Dove looked up at Raven, her indigo eyes wide and her face pale. "But it's beyond average fear. Whenever I try to calm down, the fear overwhelms me. Just like this. And I can't meditate-" She halted, suddenly wondering how Raven would react to that…

"Meditate?" The similarities never ceased. But, maybe those words meant something else… Prayer meditation, trance state, sacred thought…?

Why did she seem so surprised? "Um, yeah..." Dove blinked, debated, reached back in her memory for an explanation - and remembered that Raven was supposed to meditate for emotional control and stability and she realized that she had no reason to fear this. Maybe she could even _help. _"I have troubles..."

"As in?"

"I have... unpleasant... flashbacks, and I can't keep my emotions under control long enough to be calm to meditate."

So it was grounding meditation after all. "You don't always have to be calm to meditate. You _meditate_ to be _calm."_

Dove blinked.

Well, it was a common enough practice on Azarath… "Clear your mind. Try not to think. If a thought enters your mind, cut it off, and let it go."

Dove backed away from Raven and crossed her legs. Rested her palms on her knees, followed the instructions… but she tightened her eyes and told Raven, "It's not working!" Another boom echoed across the skies. Dove swallowed nervously.

"What about chanting? A mantra?"

"My mother told me you use Azarath Metrion Zinthos, and it works for me - I mean, when I'm not-" Dove moaned.

"Try it. It might help."

Dove sighed. "Last time I tried meditating during a storm, I failed completely. I just have trouble meditating."

Raven hoped her calm could counter that hint of frustration in Dove's voice. "At least try for now. I know the circumstances are less than perfect, but these are the times when you will need to meditate most."

Dove sighed and slowly chanted, "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos. Azarath Metrion Zinthos." The words were so promising. But she only chanted it once more before a crack of lightning lit up the room, even through her closed eyelids, and thunder's explosion sent shivers cascading down her spine. She broke out in a cold sweat.

"I can't handle the fear," Dove gasped swiftly.

"Dove-"

Before Raven could finish Dove grasped her head in her hands and began groaning defeat -

"Dove-!"

- as slowly but surely cold static was building in the air - and palpable -

"Dove, _calm down."_

- just before that colorless, formless power fled Dove's control and flickered dangerously close to the walls.

"I-I-I'm so sorry, but I _can't," _she whispered softly.

"You _have _to. How powerful are your powers again?"

"I don't know! I've never used them to the full extent before."

"Dove, the fear - your energies - You might destroy the entire tower!"

"I-"

Raven sent out her own bolt of black energy and it collided with Dove's white lightning before she ripped out its power, and both vanished in a flash of blinding white.

Dove shuddered violently as the energy was torn from her by that chill electric shadow - so dark, she'd never felt her energies touch anything that dark… "I'm so sorry..."

"You _really _don't have much control, do you?"

Dove only sobbed.

Raven felt Dove's remorse empathically, as if it was her own, and she sighed. "There's nothing to be sorry for. You can't control your powers. It's… more common than you think."

Dove swallowed and blinked sorrowfully at Raven, who put up a semispherical force field to shield the world from Dove's unintentional attack. Dove's fear was strong - and so were the energies it unleashed. But Raven's will was far stronger, her shield more stable, and any spark that dared strike outward was neutralized and grounded the instant it met her dome.

For half a moment Dove bowed her head in shame - then thunder erupted again and she flinched, felt another spasm of energies flee her soul, and Raven began trying to reason her through the irrational fear with her teeth grit in concentration and her thoughts so focused her voice came out strictly commanding.

The effect was less than reassuring.

It wasn't until Dove had exhausted herself to a panting burn that her indoor electric storm came to an end; her energies were too drained to let loose another spark. And soon the storm outside had ended, too, with hesitant sunrays filtering in through the window.

Raven let the shield drop.

Tears still flowing but sobs subsided, head bowed and exhaustion so deep she had to support herself with her arms, Dove leaned towards Raven's body and whimpered.

"It's over," Raven told her quietly.

"I know..."

"You okay?" Not that she looked it.

Dove shrugged. "Tired..." She was so exhausted she couldn't hold her eyes open - they slipped down, and then she locked them closed, tears escaping her half-hearted confinement, and she didn't even have the heart to wipe them away.

"What is it?"

Dove couldn't answer anything but the truth. "I'm not sure." She sobbed and sat up, feeling anxiety, confusion, and Raven could sense depression and trauma, deep-set but soon rising to the surface. Her deep-blue eyes reached into Raven's, they always seemed to be pleading - and Raven noticed that Dove's eyes looked as if they had _two_ layers, deep dark blue influenced by a red sheen, like looking at the clear midnight sky through a red-stained window. _Weird…_

Dove hung her head, breaking the gaze, and suddenly choked, "I miss Azarath!" She began sobbing.

Raven was more than sympathetic. She remembered when she had first left that inter-dimensional world. The only place she had ever known… Though she could never quite agree with some of its philosophies, the memory of Azarath would always hold a special place in her heart.

"I can't even go back!"

"I know," Raven sighed, once more remembering the feeling of having the land of her birth destroyed before her eyes. She felt a sweeping wave of hatred for the demon, but she pushed it aside before -

"You saw Azarath... being destroyed?"

Great. More telepathy. "Right..." Raven avoided the specifics. If Dove asked too many questions...

"How?"

She met Dove's confused gaze. "What do you mean?

"I thought you left before Azarath was - Didn't you- ?"

"I went back."

Dove blinked in utter confusion - wasn't that against the rules? "Why?"

"Let's just say I was... struggling to avoid something."

Dove blinked, hesitated - then nodded.

"I... I'm surprised you aren't asking me more." Few people knew of Raven's boundaries. Even fewer in Azarath respected them.

And Dove's soft reply left her uncharacteristically startled: "I know what it's like to need to keep a secret."

Silence.

Then Dove's eyes teared up all over again, and a fresh wave of sobs crashed down and left her emotional emanations in tatters.

Raven asked what it was now.

"I-I can't help b-b-but remember when I first left - I m-mean before I left - After the v-v-vision - and my mother..." Dove lost control of her voice at that point.

…Wow, she hadn't been here for twelve hours and already her ratio of crying to smiles was about ten-to-one. Raven was concerned for the girl - she wondered what had upset her so badly, wondered if she could _help, _but decided she shouldn't invade Dove's privacy. It was awkward for her to talk about emotions, anyways.

After a few minutes, Dove, too drained and starved to deal with emotional outbursts, let herself fall with her back against the mattress. The sobbing ceased. But ten minutes later Raven still sensed emotional pain. And… hunger pain? "It's almost dinner time. Do you want something to eat?"

Dove shook her head. "I'm not hungry." A yawn betrayed that sleep was really more what she needed…

"Maybe you should get some rest."

"Yeah..."

Raven stood to leave - then Dove spoke up and her words gave her pause. "Wait... Thanks."

"For what?"

"Just... For being there. Not rejecting me, not saying my fears were silly, accepting my lack of control, not pushing me away..." Her voice trailed off.

"You're- welcome."

There was another awkward silence, Dove watching mutely as Raven tried to process the depth of her gratitude. It was nice, but… unfamiliar. Of all the people she'd protected, of every soul she'd saved, precious few ever thought to thank her. That was a hero's life. But Dove here was showing such appreciation just for _talking _to her. It was… confusing. "You look like you haven't eaten in a while. Are you sure - ?"

"Yes. I'm in pain and just not hungry." In fact, she felt a little sick with nerves. Her stomach ached with hunger, but she had no appetite - she was lost, confused, homesick, and so afraid…

"Is it your head?"

"Um, partly," Dove replied softly - then she shot up and stared at Raven with that wide-eyed dove-in-the-headlights fear. "Please, _don't," _she pleaded, her voice soft and afraid.

But Raven could feel Dove's pain every bit as truly as Dove could - she couldn't ignore it. There was a desperate, hopeless fear in Dove that unlocked a secret sympathy in Raven. She was hurt, and she needed help. That spoke to the healer _and_ the hero. Of course, Raven still held her at a distance… but she couldn't just dismiss her pain away. The compassionate empath in her simply wouldn't allow it. "Can you trust me-?" Too late, Raven realized how unlikely it was. Besides them being total strangers, she was infamously feared in Azarath -

But Dove startled her with a quiet, sighing reply of, "Yes... Go on..."

Raven nodded, more than a little surprised. This girl _can't _have come from Azarath - but, her psychic senses all told her Dove's story was true… "It'll be easier if you relax."

Dove still tensed as Raven's hands lit to life with that shimmering white-blue aura, and they reached for her head - carefully, seeming to understand her pain, and unintrusively, as if Raven understood her fear. Dove had closed her eyes tightly, but half opened them against when she recognized that feeling - only, it was deeper, different from what she felt with her mother, but it was still… a connection? Then it was an odd, tingling sensation touching energy to every area that was hurting - even where she was sore and aching - then a warm numbness for an instant, and then… nothing.

The hands withdrew.

Dove could only look up at Raven, bewildered. That was _amazing!_

"How - I - Thank you." Then she recollected herself, only to turn away blushing. "Sorry, I... overreacted... I just... a bad experience, and I - sorry..." She apologized three more times, stammering and feeling silly and immature, before Raven finally spoke up and silenced her.

"You still don't need to apologize."

Dove lifted her eyes, but - she couldn't meet her gaze.

"Once more, you can't control it. So you had a bad experience. Maybe you just need help dealing with it. Processing the impact of the past… I can train you in that mental discipline. As with your powers, I'll help you gain that control." Dove's shoulders dropped. "And… if the day when you can control your powers takes years to come, then at least you have a safe, warm home."

Dove was pretty convinced that day would _never _come… but - a HOME? Dove had to fight _hard_ against the urge to smile and rejoice and celebrate the idea. She didn't need the disappointment. "People in the city told me about the Titans. I know what they do, why you're all living together… You're brave - you're heroes, protectors... warriors… Everything I'm not."

"Why do you think we accepted you?"

"I'm _dangerous_ if I don't learn control. But once you teach me…" She had already resigned herself to being discharged the moment she mastered her skills.

Raven told her, "There's more to it."

Dove's eyes flickered her way.

"You _need _us." And as Raven elaborated, her voice was slowly, slowly softening, losing its wary and aloof edge in favor of a more gentle reassurance. She seemed encouraged by Dove's hesitant hope. "The Teen Titans team isn't just a group of heroes - it's a haven for superpowered teens, including them so they have a safe place to be - a place to feel_ safe._ They have support here - from people who understand them. A way to use their powers for good. Even... a _family…_ If you have nowhere else to go, this can be your home."

That… actually sounded kind of amazing. The only family she had ever known was her mother. Dove looked up at the mystic Titan… and for the first time in far too long, she smiled. Really, really _smiled._

"Thank you so much... For everything." Dove brought her arms around Raven -

Who tensed for a moment, shocked - Dove pulled back and said quickly, "Oh - I didn't mean to scare you, I-I - "

"Never mind," Raven said. Dove would learn quickly enough that living here didn't mean hugging Raven was okay. Boundaries would be set. Dove just… didn't seem _strong _enough to handle such fierce rejection yet. For now there was nothing she needed more than support and security.

Dove rested her head trustingly on Raven's shoulder, and she let her arms fall. She made a small noise of comfort, sighed… utterly exhausted… and blissful sleep finally drew its blanket over her eyes.

Relief did tend to ease the mind, and easing the mind eased sleep. Good. Dove needed it…

Raven carefully set her head on the pillow and covered her with the blanket. And with one last wary, sympathetic glance, she headed into the kitchen with quite an interesting story to not quite tell.


End file.
